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elevation of all of the peaks in the Minarets and giving rainfall data for the last hundred years, and Kristine would have listened. Gloria had no trouble projecting her low but powerful voice through the room. Kristine remembered what it was like in normal conversation and took a moment to wonder what it would be like brought down to an intimate whisper. She imagined that voice raising the hair just behind her ear, but before she could anticipate what she’d be saying, the words Gloria had uttered snapped her out of her reverie.
    “Did she say something about shooting the bears?” she whispered to Gabe.
    “Yeah,” he said, sitting up straighter. “With rubber bullets.”
    Kristine quickly shifted away from Gloria’s physical attributes to what her intellect had to offer about dealing with the animals in the backcountry.
    “It’s important to establish that the area you inhabit is your den and that they are not welcome. Bears are extremely territorial, and if you claim the territory effectively, with noisemakers and some zings to their hide, they’ll get the message that they need to forage elsewhere.”
    The entire café was silent.
    “At the end of the week Leo will help me set up a practice area in the meadow where we’ll have the opportunity to practice some of the techniques I went over tonight.”
    “The Forest Service is going to sign off on our carrying in the backcountry?” a skeptical Dozer shouted out.
    Kristine admired the way the ranger deftly shepherded the conversation back to how she hoped Leo’s employees could participate in improving the balance between human and nature. After a half hour or so, the questions ceased, the crew cleared their plates and drifted to their evening chores.
    Kristine sat tipped back in a chair on the porch that ran along the main building, her boots resting on the railing. Waiting for the rest of the corral staff to emerge from the store, she enjoyed an after-supper ice cream. Who was she kidding, she thought, letting the chair’s feet thump back to the porch. She was sitting there hoping to get another glimpse of the presenter. She toyed with the idea of inviting her to join the group which had decided to get a campfire going after the evening feed.
    Again, she remembered her promise to herself. By facing her past instead of continuing to run, she could use that strength to finally stand up to the force of her father. She could leave the ranch and find her own path as a professional photographer. A summer fling sounded enticing, especially after being in the small, socially dry town of Quincy for six months, but she knew that it would only distract her from getting on her own feet.
    Having gone through the kitchen to the store, the corral crew emerged from the door on her left just as Gloria exited the diner’s door on her right. Did Gloria look pleased to see her sitting there? Meeting her eyes, Kristine felt a pull between them, the instinct that had her fantasizing about kissing her when they’d first met instead of offering to point out her boss.
    “Teeny!” Dozer shouted, making her whip her head in the opposition direction. “There’s a hay hook with your name on it up at the corrals if you’ve still got something to prove.”
    Kristine ground her teeth. He hadn’t changed at all, and she found that she still had a difficult time not letting him get under her skin. True, she had felt the need to keep up with the guys back then, but she’d had to when they always treated her like a helpless girl. Risking another glance in Gloria’s direction, she met those blue eyes once again. She seemed to be observing the scene with interest. Best to walk away now, Kristine told herself. Their paths weren’t likely to cross, and it would be easier to resist the very real temptation she presented if Kristine didn’t spend any more time talking to her.
    She sighed, bowing her head before she pushed to stand and join the crew stepping off the porch to the